Would You Remove This Stamp From Cover?

This postcard has obvious damage around the edges and corners. Normally the perf 14 stamp isn't worth much (less than 25 cents). The postmark is a faint Ventnor IOW (Isle of Wight). There is a version of the stamp that was made in 1911 without watermark. It books at $90.00 used. Would you remove and check for a watermark?

yes

No

No

Chimo

Bujutsu

No, probability is that you have the cheaper stamp and you'll have less that what you started with if you remove the stamp.

No. I'd leave the card and stamp alone.

In fact, some brief research suggests that the addressee of your postcard, Mrs. George Miles Wells, was a rather prominent citizen of the Wayne community back in her day which could make the postcard more desirable just as it is.

NO! First, it's more valuable intact. Second, that's what the stamp was created to convey. Stamps were created for a purpose -- to convey communications from point A to point B, at a given rate -- at a given time. Remove the stamp from the item it conveyed and you destroy its history and its meaning of existence. True, the card is damaged, however, the image captured was of a specific time and place, which may or may not look like that today. You never know what you may be destroying. The postmark may be of a post office that no longer exists. The rate, while unrecognizable to you, may be extremely rare rate of short duration. Far too many valuable postal history items have been destroyed simply to soak a stamp of a card or cover. There are enough loose stamps out there -- you don't need to create another one. Enjoy the best part of the stamp collecting hobby -- postal history.

Siegel Auctions frequently note that a stamp was 'lifted' to check the watermark; if this practice were destroying the value of their lots, I suspect that they would stop.

In fact, one of the advantages of buying at their IRL auctions might be that the stamp was expertly 'lifted', something that you might not want to try at home.

If you did (want to try at home), my guess is that you would:

- lightly wet(*) some portion of the face of the stamp (?2/3),

- prop that portion up off of the cover/card (with weighted toothpicks?),

- let it dry (overnight?),

- backlight (from the side?) or backdrop (with black plastic film?) the stamp,

- apply the watermark solution,

- photograph the result (or not),

- let the stamp dry (minutes),

- lightly re-wet(*) the back of the stamp,

- let it rest flat on the cover/card,

- hope for the best, or apply a supplemental adhesive prn (as necessary), and

- if the result was not definitive, repeat the entire procedure, but lifting from the other end.

(*) wet with water, or a more suitable (volatile) solvent

By leaving much (?1/3) of the stamp in place each time, you 'assure' that you will not change the alignment of the stamp.

An alternative would be to ask someone who, like, you know, actually knows how this is done.

However you proceed, must we be reminded to try it a few times on a less valuable specimen?

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

I'd also leave the stamp on. Nowadays, a stamp which catalogs for $90 can be purchased for $10-$15, so the effort hardly seems worth it in any event.

no

No

Peter

Maybe we are making a decision to quick about this. I noticed there is a stamp called SG272a. The stamps were printed by Harrison in 1911. They are asking for higher amounts in used. I find it odd that there are sellers listing different shades. Wouldn't there be different numbers or lettering from Stanley Gibbons when the color changes? Anyway, I see on Google, stamps for sale even at higher prices. What to do now?

Maybe I'm a bit late to add my piece, but here goes. The stamp could be any one of the following: SG219, 220, 272, 272a, 273, 274, 275, 275a, 280, 281, 282 depending on how you see the colour of the stamp with a price range of £1.50 to £350 (The frustration of it all). The postmark itself, doesn't seem to be a rarity as it was in use in 1903 (there is an example on e-bay; stamp on piece for just under eight Dollars) although it is an unusual place of origin. Sooooo its a matter of personal choice. I usually tend to keep things on cover unless they are modern definitive issues from large countries which have centralised sorting facilities

As the stamp and postcard are pretty much worthless in that condition it would be worth just that little effort just to check the watermark or lack of. The picture side and the postmark are not contemporary anyway.
This kind of postcard are very common here and sell for around 5p - 10p each in reasonable condition and your one falls quite short of that.

Looks pretty much the same today.




Robert

Wow, very cool to the lack of change over 100 years. Except for the Pavement, sidewalk, the lamp moved, and foliage growth around the pond.
I say again, WOW